Perks
by luvsanime02
Summary: Sometimes, there are perks to being a resident of Brooklyn. Crowds during parades is not one of them.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Marvel comics or characters or movies, and am making no money off of this fic.

**AN: **Written for the June 21st Winterhawk Mandatory Fun Day prompt found here: mandatoryfunday . tumblr .com(/)post/185652686490/hey-winterhawklings-are-you-familiar-with-coney. (Without the spaces and parentheses.)

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**Perks** by luvsanime02

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There are perks to being a Brooklyn resident. Many of them, in fact.

Bucky Barnes has to remind himself of that when he gets to Coney Island. Oh, he loves making the short trip out to Coney Island on the weekends. Ever since he was a kid, Bucky has saved up his allowance and spent a lot of fun days out there. Really, some of Bucky's best memories have happened on Coney Island, from his first date to the one that he's going on today, in fact.

All of that doesn't make Bucky's wince any less real when he realizes exactly why Clint wanted to go out to Coney Island today. He pulls out his phone and types a quick message.

_Really? Really, Barton?_

He doesn't bother to add context. Clint will know exactly what Bucky's referring to, since he's the one who requested this date.

In reply, Clint sends Bucky a long string of winky faces, followed by _only day free this week sorry,_ and Bucky shakes his head in exasperation, trying to pretend that he's not smiling at his phone like an idiot. Only Clint Barton could make Bucky go to Coney Island on the day of the Mermaid Parade.

Oh, it's not the parade itself that Bucky minds. He's all for taking pride in one's identity, and has to admit that, for Brooklyn and its nightlife, this parade is actually rather tame. No, it's the crowds that Bucky can't stand.

More specifically, the _out-of-towners_ in the crowd.

Clint's accused Bucky more than once of being a snob when it comes to what he calls 'the real Brooklyn', and Bucky has never once denied this. He just doesn't appreciate all of the people standing around wearing shirts like 'I heart Brooklyn', or whatever.

Especially those people walking around and taking pictures of everything and everyone. All of the local attractions and the mermaid floats, fine, but when people inevitably start taking photos of other people in the crowd?

That's annoying. And rude. And always, always, someone eventually walks up to Bucky and-

"Can I take a picture of your arm, dude?! That's wicked cool!"

That. Bucky holds in a sigh and turns around slowly. Sure enough, there are two people standing there and looking at Bucky's arm in fascination. He's not surprised. Bucky's prosthetic garners a lot of attention everywhere he goes, but most of the time, people leave him alone about it. There's something about being part of a crowd of vacationers - people away from home, and not likely to run into anyone who they know or will ever see again - that makes people feel less shame, or less fear, about asking Bucky probing questions, however.

"Sure," Bucky replies, because at least they asked first. He's sure that hundreds of people have taken pictures of his arm today without his permission. Bucky even rolls up his shirt sleeve, so that they can see the whole thing. The two of them take some pictures and thank him, and then - happily - they leave him alone.

Bucky relaxes. Seems like they're not going to ask Bucky what happened, and why he has a prosthetic now. He hates that reaction most of all. Like Bucky really wants to spend his day talking to strangers about one of the most traumatic and painful experiences of his life. No thanks.

Clint's lucky that Bucky likes him so much, or Bucky would probably leave Coney Island right then and there. The hell with anything else.

Of course, Clint shows up a few minutes later dressed in tight jeans and a tight shirt, with a couple of dogs in one hand and a funnel cake in the other, so he's immediately forgiven.

"Nice turnout," Clint says, because he's an asshole. Why is everyone Bucky knows an asshole? Probably because Bucky's one, too.

"Shut up and eat your funnel cake," Bucky retorts, and then the two of them walk around the fringes of the crowd, taking in the scene but not really being part of it. Bucky has to admit that at least the food's good. It always is, if you know the right places to go.

"So," Clint says once they're done eating, dusting his hands off on his jeans. Bucky rolls his eyes and asks for a napkin from a vendor, because he's not an animal. "Arcade?"

Bucky smirks. "I didn't think you'd be so eager to get your ass kicked at Skee-Ball again," he says casually.

Clint snorts. "You wish," he replies, and alright, this date is shaping up to be a pretty good one. Mostly because of the company, Bucky thinks to himself. Clint's definitely worth braving the crowds for.

Not that this is going to stop Bucky from winning, of course.


End file.
